Fastener for doors, panels, and the like



H. sUcK FASTENER FOR DOORS., PANELS, AND THE LIKE Filed May 29, 41928 Henry nvenTor.

SUCK

bym

' ATTys.

Patented Dec. 4, 1928.

UNITED STATES HENRY SUCK, or ROSLINDALE, MASSACHUSETTS.

FASTENER FOR DOORS, IPANELS,l AND THE LIKE.

Application med May 29,

This invention relates' to fasteners for doors, panels and the like and particularly to a fastener of the type which is concealed when the door is closed but which may be actuated to release the door by giving thedoor a slight inward movement` from its normal closed position. i A n The general object of my vinvention 1ste provide an improved fastener of thistypeV which is simple in construction and inexpensive to manufacture but which is yalso eflective in operation. j j.

A fastener embodying my invention comprises a striker which may be on either the door or the door frame, and a verticallyswinging latch which may be pivotally mounted either on the door frame or the door, the door being fastened by the engagement of the latch with the striker. Y

A further object of the invention is to provide a door fast-ener of this type in which the latch is released from the striker by the engagement of two co-operative faces on the striker and latch respectively during the spring-impelled opening movement of y the door after it has been pushed inwardly be` yond its normal closed position'and then has been suddenly released. j

Other objects of the inventionare to provide various novel features of construction which will be hereinafter set forth. E

In order to give an understanding of the invention I have illustrated in the drawings a selected embodiment thereof lwhich will new' be described after which the novel features will be pointed out in the appended claims.

In the drawings, Fig. l is a fragmentary view showing a portion of adoor frame and a door' equipped with my improved fastener, said view being onsubstantially the section line 1-1, Fig. 3;

Fig. 2 is a similar view showing in full lines the door after it has been pushed -inwardly beyond its normal closed position preparatory to releasing the fasten-er, the dotted line position showing the action of the door in releasing the fastener;

Fig. 3 is a section on the line 3-3, Fig. 1" showing the fastener' in plan view; 1 e

Fig. 4 is a perspective view of the latch member of the fastener; l v

Fig. 5 is a fragmentaryv view illustrating a different embodiment of the invention.

My improved fastener is adaptable foruse in fastening .doors of almost any description The latch projects beyond by which the latch 192e. Serial No. 281,398.

whichis secured to one:v of' the door elements,`

that is', eithertothe door. or to the doorv frame,

and which has a projection orfingert, and al i latch memberv 5 which is -pivoted to the other f door element and which co-operateswith the projection 4L to fasten the door. In the construction herein shown this striker 3 is se-l cured to the inside of the door by Vmeans of. Suitable screws 6 and the latch 5 is pivotally mounted to the door frame 1although I wish f 1t understood that the latch might. be placed t, on thedoor and the striker onthe door :frame without departing in any way from thein-y Ventron. .z

TheV latch` 5- is herein Shown as pivotally mounted .in a housing member?y which is sef-- eured to the ydoor frame-through Suitable Screws'S..-Thishousing has a recess .9:in which thel pivoted end of the latch is received,

' said latch being pivotally carried by the yhousing through the medium of a pivot pin l0.,

the housing Z1-'and at its outer end it is provided with the inclined cam face l1 shoulder l2 in the rear of said face'. The striker and latch have such a relative position that when the door is being closed the finger 4 yof the striker will engage the cam face-l1` during the final closing movement of `the door and by such engagement will raise the n latch as usual in fasteners of this character.` As the door is fully closed the nose 13 of the latch will wipe over the striker and will drop and withthe locking:`V

behind the finger 4 which by its engagement with the shoulder 12 will restrain the from opening movement.v

Myl invention provides a novel construction may be released by quickly f releasing the door, after it` has been pushed inwardly slightly beyond its normal closed position. Y The door frame iS provided witlr a doorl stop 14 which is so placed as to permit a slight inward movement of the door after the vlatch has engaged the Striker. w The full lineposition of the door in Fig. 3 is that corresponding to the position Shownfin Fig. y1 when the door' pin is recessed on one door is latched by the `engagement ofthe striker with the shoulder 12 and the stop 14 is so laced as to permit the door to move inward y slightly from the full line position Fig. 3 to the right hand dotted line position.

A spring is provided which acts on the door when the latter Vis closed tending to open it and if the door is suddenly released after having been pushed inwardlyv into the position shown in Fig. 2 the spring will give the door a quick outward or opening impulse.

The latch 5 and the striker 3 arevprovided with co-operating su-rfaces whichrfunctilon to raise thelateh suiciently to clear it from the striker when thc door has its spring-iinielled quick outward or opening' movement. One of such eo-operating surfaces is in the form of `a `cam projection which may be on either the latch or the striker; In the illustrated embodiment of the invention such pro]ection is on the latch andis indicated at 15, said projection having thecam face 16; This cam projection is situated back of the shoulder 12 and is so located that when the door is moved inwardly slightly from its normally latched position the cam projection will ride over the finger 4J of the striker as shown in Fig. 2. Ifthe door is released after having been moved `into the'full line position Fig. 2 the quick outward or opening impulse which is givento the door by the spring will cause the finger 4 to engage the cam face 16 and thus throw the latch 5 upwardly intothe `.dotted line position Fig. movement of the door is quick enough the door will be moved outwardly into the dotted line position, Fig. 2 and left hand `dotted line position Fig. 3, before the latch can gravitate downwardly into its latching position.

Hence the release of the fastener involves simply the operation of pushing the door infrom its Vlatched position and wardly slightly then quickly releasing it to allow the spring and the co-operating faces on the striker'and latch to function to throw the latch upwardly into inoperative position.

The spring which thus Vassists in the open ing movement ofthe door may be of any suitable typeor character and maybe arranged to act on any part of the door so long as it is constructed so that when the d oor is closed it is under tension and is ready to give the door a' quick opening impulse after said door has been given its additional inward movement into the position shown in full lines, Fig. 2, and then released. As illustrating one practical construction I have shown a coil `spring 17 which is carried in a recess 18 formed in the housing mounted in the housing and projects beyond the same.

In'order to prevent the pin from being ejected from the housing by the spring said side as shown at 20 and 2. If the spring-in'ipelledA 7 and `which acts on a plunger 19V that is slidably tened by the engagement of the projection 4 with the latch 5. j i

When the door is given its additional in.-

ward movement into the full line position Fi g.

2 the spring Vis additionally compressed and is then in a condition to give the door a quick opening impulse the instant that the pressure on thedoor is released.

In order that the latch may function easily and satisfactorily. I propose to so shape it that the ivot'al pin 10 is located below the plane of t e nose lvand the cam projection 15 as clearly shown in Fig.2. With this arrangement the engagement of the striker withthe cam surface 11 is at a point above the pivot so that the latch will be easily swung upwardly by the impact of thestriker therewith to allow the finger 4 to wipeby the nose 13. When the latch is in locking position shown in Fig; 1 it is heldslightly above normal position by the striker and the shoulder' 12 is so formed thatV it will have a flat bearing against the striker when the latch is in this locking position. The partially compressed spring 17 will hold the striker against the latch.

When the door has been given its additional inward movement preparatory to unlatching the door and the striker has wiped under the cam projection 16, the latch is supported by the engagement of the surface 22 thereof -with the finger 4. The latch has such a shape that when thus supported it is elevated still higher than when it is in locking position shown in Fig. 1. When, therefore, the pressure` on the door is released and it is allowed to have its quick spring-impelled opening movement the latch is thrown upwardly by the` engagement of the linger 4With the cam surface ltifrom a partially raised position and since the up wald throw of the latch is started from a partia y with the cam 16-will carry it upwardly suffi4 ciently far so that the door will have plenty of time to move from the position shown in Fig.

2 to a positionin which the finger 4 is beyond the reachof the latch 'before such latch can gravitate into its normal position.

i The nose 13 will preferably have the round being partially compressed when` the door is fasraised position the impact of the finger y carried beyond the nnose, the

Cil

corner 23 would throw the latch back again and prevent relatching of the door.

In Fig. I have shown a slightly diiierent embodiment of the invention which is spec."- ally adapted for larger fasteners to be used on heavier doors. VIn this embodiment the cam projection is provided with a protuberance which is situated to be engaged by the finger 4 of the striker when the door is released after its inward movement. The engageinentI of the finger 4 with this protuberance will give the latch an additional upward impulse which will ensure its being thrown backwardly to its limit even though itis relatively heavyas would be necessary on a heavy door.

It will be seen that the device extremely simple and that the releasing of the latch is accomplished by the inter-engagement of two co-operating faces, one on the latch and the other on the striker and further that the latch is raised by the spring-impelledl movement et the door when it is released after ithas been pushed inwaidly beyond its latching position. With this invention, therefore, the latch is released by the initial spring-impelled outward opening movement of the door rather than by the initial movement beyond the normal latched position.

Vhile I have illustrated herein a selected `embodiment of the invention I- do not wish to be limited to the constructional features shown.

I claim: j

l.V In a door fastener, the combination with a door element and a frame element, of a striker on one of said element a verticallyswinging latch pivoted to the other element and co-operating with said striker to fasten the door, la spring acting on the door when closed and tending to open it, said door being capable of having a slight additional inward movement beyond its normal closed position', and means rendered operative by the initial spring-impelled opening movement` of the door after it has been given its additional inward movement to clear the latch from the striker andthus release the fastener.

a door element and a frame element, of a striker on one of said elements, a 'verticallyswinging latch pivoted to the other element and eo-operating with said striker to fasten the door, a spring acting on the door when closed and tending to open it, said door being capable ofk having a slight additional inward movement beyond its normal closed position, said latch and striker having co-operating surfaces which function to raise the latch sufficiently to clear it ot the striker during the initial spring-impelled opening movement oit the door.

3. In a door fastener, the combination with 2. In a door fastener, the combination with i gagement with the striker, a cam projection which wipes over the striker f impelled opening vthen is a door frame elementand a door element, of a striker on one of said elements, a verticallyswinging latch pivotally mounted on the other element and having a spring acting on the door sition and tending to open capable of having a slight movement after 'the latch when in closed poit, said door being additional inward is in latching ensaid latch having during such additional movement, whereby when the door is quickly released after such additional movement the initial spring-iinpelled movement oi the door will cause the striker to engage the cam projection and thus to clear the latch from the striker whiley the door is opening.

el; In a door fastener, the combination with a door frame element and a door element, of a striker on one of said elements, a verticallyswinging latch pivoted to the other of saidl elements and having a nose to co-operate with the striker to hold the door closed, said door being capable of having a slight additional inward movement beyond that necessary to bring the latch into latching engagement with the striker, said latch having-a cam projection under which the striker wipes during such additional movement, and a spring acting on the door open it, whereby when the door is given such additional inward movement and then is quickly released the engagement of the striker with the cam projection due to the springmovement of the door will throw the latch upwardly suiiiciently to clear the striker as the door opens. n

5. In a door fastener, the combination with a door frame element and a door element, of a striker on one of rsaid elements, a verticallyswinging latch pivoted to the other of said elements and having a nose to co-operate with the striker to hold the door closed, the pivotal point of the latch being below the level of the nose,'said door being capable or' having a .slight additional inward movement beyond that necessary to bring the latch into latchingI engagement with the striker, said latch having acam projection under which the striker wipes during such additional movement, and a spring acting' on the door when closed and tending to open it, whereby when the door is given such additional inward movement and qnicklyieleased the engagementv of the striker with the camprojection due to the spring-impelled opening movement ofthe door will throw the latch upwardly sufficiently to clear the striker as the door opens. In testimony whereof, I have signed vmy naine to this specilication. v

HENRY SUCK.

when closed and tending to nose to co-operate with the striker to hold the door closed, a f

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